Carp, big and small

[iCarp]

I was thinking last weekend. Strange, I know, but true... Anyway, it occurred to me that by this time last year I'd already gotten into some very nice carp up to the high 30s. Of course, one reason why that hadn't happened yet this year, despite the early warm weather, would be that I'm not an especially talented angler. And the fact that I've been practicing my match fishing skills also has to be taken into account.

 

Yes, I've been spending my time not catching small carp, rather than not catching big ones. For the most part I've been trying out my new Middy 3G pole, and I'm very pleased with it. Most days I've gotten my 20lb the hard way- a pound or less at a time. But I've also had some big fish on the pole (big in match terms) and it's been more than up to the task. Here are a couple of photos from sessions chasing small carp from small streams and ponds:

 

 

 

 

And here is Randy giving me a lesson in the proper way to play a fish on the pole:

 

 

Well, after doing that thinking over the weekend I decided to go out and try to catch some bigger carp. I had an hour to kill before work on Monday morning so I took the opportunity to do a bit of float fishing with Cranberry Monster Maize as my hookbait. I was hoping to get at least one fish to post for the TOKS Big Four competition (I should have brought my tournament ticket for photos but I'm a bit absent minded. Oh well, there's always next time...). I managed to land two carp in the 20s and miss a few more. The catches were thanks to luck and the misses due to laziness- it's amazing how many more carp you can set the hook on if you're actually holding your rod whilst float fishing and I really should get into the habit.

 

 

 

 

It's hard to get a sense of the size of a carp from a photo, I find, but the unhooking mat shown is 36" wide. The first fish was short but extremely broad across the back, and both were very clean, fat, and healthy.

 

 

 

Quite honestly, water temps are still a bit low and these fish were sluggish. Landing them was a lot like hooking into a a sodden bag of laundry and dragging it ashore. In contrast, the smaller carp I've been fishing for are coming out of small, warm bodies of water. They're actively feeding and very scrappy. It's actually been more fun catching them. The ones into the teens have been a particular challenge and thrill to play on the light tackle I've been using. It was touch and go playing one special fish on a 3lb hooklength. As much as I enjoy fishing for big carp, I think I'll wait for another week or two before I try again. Until then, if I get a chance to wet a line I'll be flicking a whip or shipping a pole in search of tiny, scrappy, golden jewels.

 

Edited April 18, 2010 by iCarp

[TC1OZ]

OMG CARP PRONO!

 

I <3 you!

 

You will be getting an order from me on your site very soon! Can I just meet up with you and save the shipping? :D (unless you profit on the shipping I'd understand) PM ME

[hammercarp]

Good stuff. WTG!

[Beans]

What in the world do you do with that big mess of carp ???

 

We release all we catch...right after we land them...

[iCarp]

What in the world do you do with that big mess of carp ???

 

We release all we catch...right after we land them...

 

 

That reminds me- it's time to start promoting my 'Top Ten Questions about Carp Fishing' tee shirt for 2010, with the answers all conveniently printed on the back.

 

1. No, I don't keep them

2. No, you can't have this fish

3. Yes, I just let them go

 

etc, etc, etc...

[TC1OZ]

He uses a match keep net so he doesn't keep catching the same carp, then takes a big pic and lets them all go!

 

Looking forward to taking part in a couple of those matches this year!

 

[danbouck]

That reminds me- it's time to start promoting my 'Top Ten Questions about Carp Fishing' tee shirt for 2010, with the answers all conveniently printed on the back.

 

1. No, I don't keep them

2. No, you can't have this fish

3. Yes, I just let them go

 

etc, etc, etc...

 

I'll take one!

[scuro2]

What in the world do you do with that big mess of carp ???

 

We release all we catch...right after we land them...

Carp are for eating!!

 

[Kinger]

Thats a sweet haul. Match nets are great for coarse fishing.

[Beans]

He uses a match keep net so he doesn't keep catching the same carp, then takes a big pic and lets them all go!

 

Looking forward to taking part in a couple of those matches this year!

 

 

Thanks for a straight answer...

 

And if they were kept for food then I have no quarrel with that...

[iCarp]

Thanks Kinger, they're certainly a great way to get a quick photo at the end and keep track of what's been caught.

 

And thanks TC1OZ for making it clear that I use a keepnet- fish wellbeing is always foremost.

 

My apologies, Beans, but I'd honestly thought that you knew that I must have been using a keepnet.

[Beans]

 

My apologies, Beans, but I'd honestly thought that you knew that I must have been using a keepnet.

 

No apologies needed Stephen...my bad for not knowing about keepnets...

 

Match fishing is still all greek to me...

 

I still think of a "Whip" as sumpin' a harness driver uses to make a horse run faster...

[Afraz]

Are these carp from ontario ? there are grey and ornage fish in there, how the heck did that happen ?

 

All the carps i have seen here are golden / brownish never seen any grey and orange ones.

[TC1OZ]

Are these carp from ontario ? there are grey and ornage fish in there, how the heck did that happen ?

 

All the carps i have seen here are golden / brownish never seen any grey and orange ones.

 

There are tons of carp out there.. you never know what you are going to pull in!

[fishing]

Good job and thanks for sharing.

[Victor]

Great report Stephen! Looks like you have been having lots of fun and success lately! I certainly have to get Randy to teach me how to fish with the whip one day.

 

Are these carp from ontario ? there are grey and ornage fish in there, how the heck did that happen ?

 

All the carps i have seen here are golden / brownish never seen any grey and orange ones.

 

I find that the smaller carp here are usually grey/silvery (maybe up to about 5lbs or so) ... then the bigger ones are all golden/yellow/orangey

[young_one]

Very unique and interesting! Thanks for posting.

[iCarp]

Are these carp from ontario ? there are grey and ornage fish in there, how the heck did that happen ?

 

All the carps i have seen here are golden / brownish never seen any grey and orange ones.

 

Hi Arfraz,

 

It might be helpful to recap the PM I sent you in case anyone else is interested:

 

 

You mention that all of the carp you have seen tend to be goldenish. Common carp can also vary in colour from a very pale silver to almost black. There are a number of species of carp, and selective breeding of a couple of them led to goldfish in China and koi in Japan (koi is simply the Japanese word for carp).

 

People sometimes release their unwanted goldfish and koi in public ponds and streams (which is illegal). These fish interbreed with the resident carp and the result is the fish that you see in those photos. Most of those fish, both the orange and gold or silvery ones, are actually common carp/goldfish hybrids.

 

Goldfish that have been released into the wild and hybrids can grow quite big. Once you start looking for them, they're fairly common. They tend to travel in shoals an can often be found in local waters that hold common carp.

 

The population of predator birds like osprey, though, is on the increase. Goldfish and hybrids, naturally, are a highly visible, easy target. Personally, I've noticed a drop in their numbers locally as a result. Their vulnerable visibility likely explains why they spook easily and can be a challenge to try to catch. They are very scrappy though, and if you can find them your children would definitely have fun with one on the end of the line (and so would you). For a small fish, they put up a big fight.

 

Carp are a superb sport fish in any form or colour and I hope that you have fun catching a few this year.

 

And hi, Victor. I hope that the carp are treating you well these days. Maybe we should all get together and have a good old-fashioned whipping session sometime.

[wolfville]

Great thread, thanks for posting the pic of me fighting my first carp on pole.

 

Vic, I don't have much to teach you, that was my first carp on pole, but I can tell you IT IS FUN.

 

One more thing to add : the proper match keepnets are very fish friendly, it's normally 3m in length made of fish-friendly material. I sometimes use it just so the fish I have just caught doesn't go back to warn its bigger brothers and sisters